Welcome to the RACER Mailbag. Questions for any of RACER’s writers might be despatched to mailbag@racer.com. We love listening to your feedback and opinions, however letters that embrace a query usually tend to be printed. Questions acquired after 3pm ET every Monday can be saved for the next week.
Q: I do know that alternates on the road programs are nonetheless an merchandise beneath growth and are undoubtedly part of the push for sustainability, however they really want a rethink. I like the truth that IndyCar is attempting one thing, however if you see the race begin and the vast majority of the sector pitting by lap 4 to ditch them, it actually makes them appear extra like a gimmick than pure technique.
I do know that now we have had situations like that with the reds a handful of occasions, however for probably the most half, the degradation on them hasn’t been as excessive (particularly for those who’re Scott Dixon and have a sixth sense for making them final with minimal falloff). Plus there may be normally a large enough efficiency delta, and it results in some very attention-grabbing methods.
Alan Bandi, Sarver, PA
MARSHALL PRUETT: The great factor is we shouldn’t expertise the zero-life alternates once more till June at Detroit. The street course alternates last more, have been the popular tire at Thermal, and I’d suspect they’ll be good at Barber and the Indy GP. After Detroit, the one different zero-life road course left on the schedule is Toronto, so this experiment IndyCar requested for is half over and can solely have an effect on two of the 14 remaining races.
With the lengthy manufacturing lead occasions to make racing tires, there’s no possibility for Firestone to redo its road course alternates forward of Detroit and Toronto, however I can’t think about this may proceed in the identical method subsequent yr.
Q: I used to be aghast studying the article “Penske Leisure trying to convey Lengthy Seashore vibe to extra IndyCar occasions.” Is it not utterly apparent that individuals like days filled with on-track exercise, meals vehicles, music, leisure and no matter retains the vibe going? Have these “promoters” been this clueless all this time?
I might give many examples, however let’s take Texas Motor Speedway. You drove manner out of city to the power the place there was nothing happening exterior of some merch tents, sat within the warmth till the race began, after which went dwelling. Even when the race was unbelievable, it wasn’t that nice of a time. How do you retain children entertained in that situation?
We’ve taken our children to Barber the previous few years. Considered one of them loves automobiles and racing, however you recognize what they’re all most interested by after about 20 minutes? The bouncy homes, Ferris wheel, and the reveals the place they’ll put stuff collectively or attempt to win one thing. There’s a automotive present and a museum. There’s even an Indy NXT race earlier than IndyCar. It’s a enjoyable day! For this reason road races are in style – it’s simpler to remain entertained all day, and the shut quarters make the occasion really feel particular and busy. I’m not the professional right here, but it surely’s not rocket science.
Ross Bynum
MP: I hear you. That is the best way Lengthy Seashore has executed it for many years, so it was there for the copying by any promoter who was keen to concentrate.
However Bud Denker’s insights on seeing the LBGP for the primary time from the within, from having a brand new cause to go round and soak up the entire distinctive issues in regards to the occasion, ought to make for higher Penske Leisure owned/led occasions elsewhere on the schedule.
Irrespective of what number of occasions you’ve been someplace, there’s all the time a chance to see issues with recent eyes. Chris Jones/IMS Photograph
Q: Doesn’t it appear Colton Herta’s crew has an uncanny knack of fumbling race outcomes? Looks like each transfer is flawed. It’s both pit errors or awful technique.
Mark, Buffalo, NY
MP: The attention-grabbing factor is teammate Kyle Kirkwood’s been having an identical early season run by way of potential. Kirk has finishes of fifth, eighth and first. Colton has a fourth and a seventh, however began the yr with a few pit lane disasters at St. Pete with a tire after which with refueling that left him sixteenth. They have been robust at Thermal, and had a lightweight tire-change delay and an underwhelming race at Lengthy Seashore.
They undoubtedly must tighten issues up, however they aren’t in unhealthy form. An excellent run at Barber or Indy will get Herta as much as the place Kirkwood resides right this moment. They have been the clear better of Andretti World in 2024 with two wins and a run to second within the championship, so we all know what the 26 automotive is able to producing.
Q: Any phrase on what the precise problem was with Newgarden’s belts?
Joey Selmants
MP: Greatest guess is Josef was hitting the buckle whereas turning via the hairpin and launched the belts. Your letter got here in earlier than we printed a narrative about it — for those who missed it, right here it’s.
Q: Any concepts on methods to get the balloon launch again on the IMS in the course of the singing of “Again House Once more in Indiana”?
David Brown, Birmingham, AL
MP: Greatest suggestion is to convey your personal balloons and helium bottles, as a result of this isn’t coming again.
Q: Some musing whereas watching the WEC race. F1 has among the worst-looking and sounding automobiles. It’s costly to look at in particular person – the merch prices are insane – and has deserted us conventional followers, however it’s the most well-liked motorsport ever.
IMSA and WEC have small calendars (IMSA 11 rounds, and WEC eight) and vital gaps between races. Nonetheless, they’re experiencing appreciable development, attracting followers and producers.
Why do I elevate this? These are each causes people blame IndyCar for its present predicament. It’s true that we want a brand new automotive and a greater schedule; nonetheless, this isn’t the explanation why IndyCar is struggling to develop. We want solutions to the next: What’s the imaginative and prescient for IndyCar? What does success seem like?
Dan Mayhew, UK
MP: Talked about right here a couple of occasions during the last yr that we should not have, nor have we had, an IndyCar State of the Union handle from Penske Leisure that I can consider after the preliminary buy, so it’s laborious to know its wide-reaching imaginative and prescient for the collection, its tracks, and its plan for the longer term. We get issues in bits and items as sure folks from the corporate converse on no matter matter, however nothing like what another sporting leagues do on an annual foundation. Perhaps that may change with Doug Boles in control of IndyCar; in concept, there’s no cause that couldn’t occur. If his bosses needed to do one on the mother or father firm, it will be welcome as properly.
Success ought to be the identical as all the time, which is larger recognition as measured by tv viewers and dwell attendance, and prosperity, measured by discipline measurement and the monetary well being of all groups. IndyCar additionally has the distinctive must develop a brand new and youthful fan base, and that metric can also be simple to trace.
